Thinking sensibly and intelligently to catalyze progress.

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I </3 Media

In Alleigh, General on November 5, 2009 at 6:01 pm

(Yes, I realize that this is my 2nd post about media – I’m sorry.)

Back in high school I dreamed of being on TV. I hosted my High School’s Morning Announcements News Show, I took media classes, I interned at the local ABC affiliate – I thought I’d found my calling.

I begged my parents to understand my passion and was eventually able to prove to them how serious I was about pursuing a career in media. Fall of ‘06 I was off to one of the best journalism and media colleges in the country.

As a bright-eyed freshman I sat in my “Discovering Journalism” class eager to learn the ins and outs of the industry. But, as the semester wore on, my bright eyes became teary eyes as I was told over and over again about the dangers of Fox News and about the “stupid sheep” and “conservative wack jobs” that watch the station. I did my best to ignore the comments, but being the sassy and outspoken person that I am – I often left the class angry, frustrated, and beaten down by the other 35 students in the class.

I figured the most constructive way for me to voice my beliefs was to audition for the school’s TV station – for the political shows. I was ecstatic to receive a call-back as a freshman, only to later realize that I was called back for the entertainment show because, “you’re a tall blonde and that’s where you’d be cast, this is about real world experience.”

Needless to say, I was FURIOUS. I switched my major to Marketing the following semester.

I’d lost much of my hope in the future of Journalism as a whole, but not quite in media, until now…

There has been a clip floating around the web from a 2008 Sesame Street Episode where Oscar the Grouch is told by a viewer of is Grouch News Network (GNN – pun intended) that she’s switching from his network to Pox News.

“Now there’s a trashy news show,” he’s told.

I dug up a study I’d read in one of my marketing classes about advertising to children. Although Sesame Street is not technically an advertisement, it IS content that is targeted specifically toward young children, so I feel this study is still relevent. According to the APA (American Psychological Association), “children under the age of eight are unable to critically comprehend televised advertising messages and are prone to accept advertiser messages as truthful, accurate and unbiased…children under the age of eight lack the cognitive development to understand the persuasive intent of television advertising and are uniquely susceptible to advertising’s influence.”

Realistically, I don’t think any 6-year-old kid is going to really fully comprehend that “Pox News” is Fox News – but doesn’t it make you wonder about the integrity of the Network it’s aired on? If a Network is willing to dip so low as to make below the belt jabs on shows intended for children – what else are they capable of?

Good thing we’ve all determined Fox as the villan…

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I Love America and Hamburgers

In General, Lizzie on November 5, 2009 at 4:59 pm

I was on the bus coming home from Boston this weekend and I heard a little boy in front of me softly singing “God Bless America”.   My heart melted, and not because he was adorable (which he was), but because he sang with such an innocent passion, that I couldn’t help, but think, I love America.

I love coming back to America after a long vacation, craving my own bed, an American beer that’s ice cold, not luke warm, and a real hamburger.  I actually look forward to packing my bags and coming home.  Home, to the country I love.

I love and deeply respect the service people who put their lives on the line to allow me to have the freedom to share my thoughts in this blog.  I understand that Freedom isn’t Free.

I love that we are a nation of equality.  If you want it, if you can dream it, it can be yours (provided you’re willing to work for it…there is no such thing as a free lunch, and if there is, strings are usually attached).

I love that I have the freedom to choose anything I want for myself.

During these hard times, we need to remember that feeling that we get when we put our hand over our heart to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” at baseball games.  We need to remember how we felt on 9-11, when we see our nation’s flag, or while we are driving through the nation’s heartland.

We cannot forget these feelings, as they are the ones that will lead us down the road to success in the quest for retaining America’s freedom.

Like the little boy on the bus, we have to be passionate for America at all times.  We cannot take her for granted.  For if we do, then we risk losing our freedom.

I end with a quote from a favorite song of mine in honor of them men and women who are sacrificing their lives to serve our country proudly in the Middle East.

“I thank God for my life, for the stars and stripes.  May freedom forever fly, let it ring.  Salute the ones who die, the ones who give their lives, so we don’t have to sacrifice all the things we love” – Zac Brown Band

I dedicate this article to my dad, a once fearless Air Force pilot, and Erik, a dedicated Marine who loves this country more than life.

-Lizzie

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Are You There Washington? It’s Me, Margaret…

In General, Lizzie on October 30, 2009 at 4:55 pm

As we are approaching the next step towards healthcare reform, I can’t help but think, is anyone in Washington listening?

I was reading yesterday’s IBD article entitled “A 1,990-Page Medical Monstrosity” and the author displays how much Nancy Pelosi really doesn’t care about the little people like you and I. (Video)

But the truth is, it’s the little people who have all of the answers.  It’s the government and its special interest groups who are causing more problems and bringing even worse solutions to the table.

One of the most evident and clearly defined solutions to healthcare problems is tort reform.  We’ve become a sue happy nation.  I’m fat, I’m going to sue McDonald’s.  I’m sad, I’m going to sue the state for being so cloudy.  I’m in debt, I’m going to sue GAP for allowing me to open that credit card, even though I didn’t have the money to pay it off.  My kids are lazy, I’m going to sue XBOX.  You get the point.

Medical malpractice premiums are out of control.  Some states have completely lost any consideration among great doctors because the premiums are too high (Illinois being one of the biggest culprits…don’t we know someone from Illinois?).  Do you see what’s wrong with this picture?!  Doctors are choosing where to practice, not based on best career opportunities, geography, or patient care, but based on whether or not they can afford to practice and pay their bills.  We are doing our nation’s brightest and best doctors a disservice by disabling them through insanely high malpractice costs.

That’s not even the worst part, now here comes the actual malpractice lawsuit.  States like California have the highest annual paid malpractice claims.   According to the Washington Examiner, tort reform or medical malpractice reform could “eliminate anywhere from 6-27% of all additional health costs.” Not to mention, doctors could then stop practicing such defensive medicine because we wouldn’t be threatening lawsuits every other day.

So, if this sounds like such an easy and simple solution, then why hasn’t our government proposed it with the new healthcare reform? Well, two words.  Trial Lawyers.  Naturally, these lawyers (not all) are against tort reform because it would lower their income and their power and the government doesn’t want to do that.  Why?  Because guess who donated $127 million last year to federal government campaigns?  The American Trial Lawyers Political Action Committee (now known as the AAJ PAC).  These lawyers voted 96% democrat, so naturally, you can bet that if they scratched Obama’s back, he better scratch theirs.

Obama is once again putting special interest groups ahead of the American people.  We are getting the short end of the stick because the people in congress and the president don’t have the guts to face the trial lawyers and make a change that is for the better.

Americans voted that they wanted change.  Is this what you had in mind? If it’s not, then let Nancy Pelosi and congress know that while we may be little, we have the real power, we are America’s republic, and we will be heard.

I dedicate this article to the most passionate, proud, and loving doctor I know, my sister-in-law.

If you’d like to write to Nancy: http://speaker.house.gov/contact/

Are you there Nancy?  It’s me, Lizzie.

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